JERONIMO

[The Untold Tales of Koreans in Cuba]

Jeronimo is an independent documentary. We appreciate any support that you may be able to provide. You can donate here (tax deductible)
다큐멘터리 "헤로니모"의 대부분의 제작비는 개개인분들의 후원금을 통해 마련되었습니다. 여러분의 관심과 지원 부탁드립니다.

About the documentary

On December 28, 2015, I went to Cuba for one week of backpacking. To my surprise, the first Cuban I met was a middle-aged Asian lady, who was waiting for me at the airport to transport me to a hostel I booked only several days before. As we hit the road, I got curious and asked about her ethnic background. She told me that she was a fourth generation Korean Cuban. Right then and there I knew that this trip was meant for something much larger than cigar-smoking and mojito-drinking.

Having always been interested in the notion of Korean Diaspora – Koreans outside of Korea forming their own communities while retaining their identity – I was intrigued and excitedly asked many questions. Welcoming such curiosity, the lady, Patricia Lim, invited me to her family's place for the next day, to meet with her mother, son, brother and other extended family members. Needless to say, this visit was the beginning of a life-changing experience.

Patricia's mother, Cristina, then 87, sat me down and brought out dozens of photo albums, sharing with me an epic tale of the family’s history. Cristina's husband, Jeronimo Lim, who had passed away 10 years earlier, was a revolutionary fighter in the Cuban revolution. He went to law school with Fidel Castro and later worked with Che Guevara in the new Cuban government. Yes, 'unbelievable' is the right word.

As I was listening to these adventures, I became overwhelmed with such a sense of conviction that this story had to be shared with the world – particularly those in Korea and Korean communities around the world.

So, I decided to make a feature-length documentary about the Lim family and Koreans in Cuba at large. In August 2016, returned to Cuba for two weeks with a wonderful film crew of five. We met with over one-hundred Korean Cubans and interviewed over thirty of them to hear their accounts of history. It was a trip that changed my life for certain and I can't wait to share the untold stories of Koreans in Cuba with the public.

I believe that this film is of historic importance. I am doing this without any outside help so any help you could provide, I am much grateful for. I ask you to join me on this journey to discover one of the most magical, dramatic and painful – yet beautiful – chapters of modern Korean history. Indeed, a story as powerful as this one is needed in a time like this.

Timeline

Click through the images!

1905

Immigration to Mexico

1033 Koreans board a cargo ship to Mexico after being told it flows with milk and honey, and that 4 years of labor would guarantee enough funds to return to Korea and live comfortably. *A 2 year old Cheontaek Lim boards the ship with his single mother.

1905 - 1909

Henequen Farms

Koreans arrive in Mexico who are sold to 22 landlords who place them in their Henequen farms. Then begins 4 years of enslavement with little or no basic rights.

1910

Japanese Colonization

Korea is officially annexed by Japan and disappears off the map. Koreans living in Mexico lose their nationality and refuse to be registered as Japanese nationals as demanded by the Japanese embassy.

1921

Cuban Immigration

A group of 300 or so Koreans immigrate to Cuba to seek better life, only to find the conditions just as lamentable. Most find their home at henequen farms in Cuba. *Cheontaek Lim is included in this group.

1926

Jeronimo Lim's Birth

Jeronimo Lim is born as the first son of Cheontaek Lim.

1935 - 42

Independence Movement

Cheontaek Lim raises funds among Koreans in Cuba to support Kim Goo at the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai and Korea's independence movement against Japanese occupation.

1946

Jeronimo's Education

Jeronimo attends Havana University - the first Korean to be admitted into college. He studies law and one of his classmates was Fidel Castro.

1949 - 59

Jeronimo and Politics

Jeronimo joins and actively leads the Orthodox party that later became part of the Guerrilla movement that toppled the Batista's corrupted government.

1960

Jeronimo's Career

Jeronimo serves the new Cuban government for nearly 3 decades, and at one point, serves as Director of the Department of the Food Industry while Che is the Minister.

2001 - 2005

Korean Commemoration

Jeronimo leads an effort to erect the Korean Monuments in Manati and Matanzas to commemorate the 80th year of Korean immigration to Cuba.

2006

Jeronimo's Death

Jeronimo suddenly passes away during what was to be a minor surgery.

2015

Joseph's Cuba Trip

Joseph travels to Cuba, and coincidentally meets Patricia Lim, Jeronimo's daughter, and is fascinated by the story of Jeronimo.

2016

Documentary Production

Joseph returns to Cuba with crew members Jennifer, Grace, Kihoon, Jaesun, and William, meeting 100 Koreans and interviewing 35 people in search of Jeronimo's legacy and the history of Koreans in Cuba.

2017

Documentary Launch

The feature-length documentary, Jeronimo, is expected to be released.

Photography

"Jeronimo is a very important project for our lifetime, remembering unsung heroes who dedicated their lives to liberation."